Photo courtesy of Home Care Assistance
Home Care Assistance staff
All is merry and bright during the holiday season. But for some seniors, the holidays can be an emotionally isolating time, especially with COVID-19 precautions.
Senior care facilities have adapted their holiday traditions to accommodate the safety of their clients and residents without sacrificing enjoyment and connection. “Older adults greatly look forward to interacting with other people,” says Lori Wengerd, owner and president of Home Care Assistance. “Knowing that we’re there and their families are there to care for them has been a huge blessing for our company to see on a daily basis.”
Wengerd says that many COVID-19 precautions were already part of the routine for senior care organizations. Updates to protocol often revolved around increasing the frequency of practices such as hand-washing and mask-wearing.
The larger change for home care has been in the personalized aspect inherent to those individualized services. Home Care Assistance discusses expectations for holidays, as well as how those can be carried out safely, with families, even if families may not be as physically close together as in years past.
In senior living communities, there are different obstacles to making those connections.
At Wallick Communities, an annual Christmas party that included Santa Claus, a tree, food and a large community gathering had to be scrapped. The living community has gotten creative, though. In 2020, Wallick organized a drive-by parade of families and friends for the Fourth of July to give a visual connection to residents unable to have visitors at the time.
“We always knew the family was important,” says Stephanie Hess, vice president of senior living operations at Wallick. “I think we were reminded over and over again how important they are to our residents. So our goal is to try to connect the families of residents in any way we possibly can while meeting the safety and health requirements, but also understanding how important it is for them to be together.”
As the spread of COVID-19 has varied and health guidance has changed accordingly, Wallick has adjusted its practices as well. In part due to the availability of vaccinations, more internal community events and interactions have become possible.
Hess says that, while visitation and celebrations likely won’t be at their pre-pandemic norms this year, the community expects more opportunities for interactions with loved ones. In place of more open holiday celebrations, Wallick hopes to use its private dining room for residents to share meals with visiting loved ones.
Spreading love from home
Photo courtesy of Wallick Communities
During the holiday season, it’s easy to get caught up in the never-ending list of things to do. Don’t forget to add checking in on those in the community, especially seniors, to the list. For them, time with others is ultimately the gift that keeps on giving.
“The best thing people can do is look for neighbors, and family members and friends who are in need,” Wengerd says. “Do small things for them like shoveling their snow so they can get to their mailbox or helping them get decorations out of closets. If it is safe in your situation to do so, make an ef- fort to see the older adult in your life, not just by phone and Zoom. To physically see your loved ones, no matter how short of a time it is, will be a gift. That is probably the No. 1 thing people want right now because they’re feeling isolated.”
Hess, too, stresses that little actions can go a long way in making an impact on a senior, whether it’s a favor for a neighbor or a call to a relative.
“No gesture’s too small,” Hess says. “I think that it gives me hope for our future, just knowing that we have so many folks out there who care about the people that live in our communities.”
Juliana Colant is an editorial assistant. Feedback is welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com
